‘You can hack into a game.’ See Sacramento kids come out to learn about science, tech, math
By Xavier Mascareñas
It was time for some robot breakdancing in Maple Park in south Sacramento on Saturday.
H@ck the Park returned for a third outing after a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, adding an arts component to transform from STEM to STEAM to promote Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics in underrepresented communities.
“We wanted to make sure that all kids had access to STEAM in a fun way. So what do you do? Put it in a festival,” said Nicholas Hasting, executive director of nonprofit Square Root Academy, one of the event organizers.
The event included science infused performances, including one from Intel, and dozens of booths from makers.
Jay Johnson, 7, of Natomas, was excited to participate.
“Coding is how computers talk, and you can make your own games with it,” said Johnson, adding that he’d like to learn to make his own video games.
Jay Johnson, 7, of Natomas, holds up a small fan powered by a solar power he assembled at a table operated by SMUD during Square Root Academy’s H@ck the Park outdoor festival Saturday at Maple Park in Sacramento. Xavier Mascareñas xmascarenas@sacbee.com
Caysen Salahuddin, 5, of Sacramento, controls the dancing of one of the Jimu MeeBots, an educational coding and modeling robotic kit, at a Square Root Academy table during the H@ck the Park outdoor festival Saturday. “That’s a breakdance,” he exclaimed. Xavier Mascareñas xmascarenas@sacbee.com
Liam Michael, 2, of Sacramento, admires the bubbles floating around letters promoting the H@ck the Park outdoor festival, organized by the non-profit Square Root Academy, on Saturday at Maple Park in Sacramento. Xavier Mascareñas xmascarenas@sacbee.com
Seven-year-old twins Efe, center, and Ese Eboigbe, right, of Sacramento, interact with one of the Jimu MeeBots, an educational coding and modeling robotic kit, at a Square Root Academy table during the H@ck the Park outdoor festival Saturday, July 9, 2022, at Maple Park in Sacramento. The annual event returned for its third year after a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and added an arts component to promote Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics in underrepresented communities. Xavier Mascareñas xmascarenas@sacbee.com
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